Trip to Lyme - Calm seas (for a change)

[Gareth J]

Hi All

I'll put this up, although I'm not sure anyone on the boat is a YD'er.

Friday (16) I was picked up by John (for a change I'm not driving (Hurray).
Much to my amazement we managed to squeeze the following into the Astra
2x twin sets
3 x 7l stage cylinders
1 x 12l emergency cylinder
1 x O2 kit
1 x First Aid Kit
2 x sets of dive gear
3 bouys,
1 trapezze
2 lap tops
2 x 3l cylinders
+ sundary equipment

Off we went - getting to Lyme (Via the A14, M6, M42 & M5) at quite a reasonable time - Dinner was still a possibility.
As we dined various individuals arrived in varying states of fatigue. As the majority hadn't been to Lyme, a quick tour of the Harbour, pointing at the dive boat & general discussion of the boat & skipper. (more on this later)

Dawn arrived (bloody seaguls) & we all trooped downstairs in our digs for our cereal (for those who got up early enough) & bacon sandwiches (just in case we where late). Tea/ Coffee (I know dieretic!) & orange juice.
I had specified at the Quay for 7:45 ( a little early) so before I new it cars at the Quay frantic kitting up then the cars off to the car park(tip - you can park the car for the whole weekend if you buy a 3 day ticket - its less than two single days!).
There we sat awaiting our skipper Doug - from Blue Turtle. Loading up Doug confirmed he had found some one to take one of the two spare places we had (keeps the treasureer happy). 1 of our number fell by the wayside at this point as he found he had a bad fill (oil) so off he went ot Portand to see if he could sort this for Sunday).
As we set sail (nice turn of phrase - no sails though). The sea was calm, the sun was out & the mood was bouyant.
I checked every ones run times onto the slate, orgainising the entry order based on the times planned.
We planned to do the Chateau (something or other) 45m to the deck, 48m to the sea bed, upright missing most of the stern. Now 7 on board, two Johns, 1 Andy (1 left ashore), 1 Ian, 1 Mick, me & a n other (another). Plenty of space.
Skipper was keen to arrive early at the site, (slack had been early all week). Shot in on the port side by the break point. a n other went in solo first - his preference. Mick & I prepared to enter, I was carrying the jump line for the trapezze (to be deployed by the boat as I entered), the safety cylinder for the trapezze, + my side slung. Mick ws to meet me on the shot once I had sorted the trapezze out.
Having clipped the trapeze cylinder in, moved the jump line past the knot in the shot I was slightly puzzled to be missing my buddy - who appeared from along the jump line?? . I waited for him to put our tag in on the jump line, but this seemed to have disappeared, so I put my spare tag in, & down we went. The viz was fantastic, I didn't even bother to turn on my torch initially.
We started by moving off towards the stern, over the broken section, there was a huge Lobster under one of the plates, moving back towards the bow along the starboard side, around the bow & back along the port rail towards the shot.
After 30 minutes we where back at the shot, I checked one pair in as they started their ascnet, we had a little scavenge, then, on 34 minutes started our ascent ot 30m for a 2minute stop, then on to our remaining stops. As we reached the jump line we took out our marker, noting one remaind. Arriving at the 9m bar we settled into the deco with the other pair. We where aware pair 3 had arrived at 15m as the trapezze started to drift, having been released. Deco passed in the blink of an eye (OK, I went to sleep) we cleared off the runtimes then an additional 10 minutes at 6m before moving to 3m for a couple of minutes.
Lunch was slightly inconvenienced by the lack of bread rolls (forgetfull skipper- good excuse to give our skipper a hard time for the remainder of the weekend.). Although I had warned every one that a second dive would be unlikely due to our long deco commitments, 3 of us did the Bagitano on the way back in. A series of plates on the bottom, big boilers & lads of fish.
Saturday evening was spent in a local restaurant (after a snozze & cream teas).
Sunday dawned - i was up early again (bloody seaguls). Breakfast was a more leisurely. The boat was loaded efficiently, our numbers swelled by two, the second Andy had sorted his fill out & a n other had brought a n other 2! Dispite being early at the Ursa, slack was early. I was in the midst of sorting the trapezze when requested to get in the bloody water! During my kitting up I left the weight belt on the boat (OK its only 2lb, but it does make you worry). Iwas to enter on my own today sorting the trapezze out on my descent. Due to the slight panick I had to spend 2 minutes untagling the trapezze prior to my descent. I had planned to swim from the stern to the bow for a little exploring. Dispite arriving at the bow, I returned early due to a little concern over the lack of a weight belt (picking up some fishing weights & tucking them down the waist band during the dive) This ment I was early back at the shot, just ahead of another pair starting there ascent.
I waited on the trapeze counting the team back in prior to the long hang to decompress.
Lunch was consumed prior to returning to harbour for the long drive home.
Compared with my visit earlier in the year it was a delight, the last time we had sea state 3 & driving rain!
As always Doug put the shot in were he promised, it was slack for the majority of the dive, he put up with our constant leg pulling (OK he gave as good as he got). The dives where a delight the a n others would good fun.
We all got out in one piece, no one screwed up particularly.
We returned home via the A303, A34, Milton Keynes, Bedford etc. I'm sure we had more to pack on the return then when we departed!
Was it good - well, they wann't to go back!!!